Twenty-two bells: [WRITTEN/ACTION]

[simplestgift]

[Filtered from known villains and Grell, 100% unhackable]

[The handwriting is disguised and the picture is obscured.]

For the benefit of the new feathers: if you feel unsafe somehow in your own home, you may go to the Welcome Center and be placed in a safe house until you can get back on your feet. There does not have to be a reason. Even if you have returned from a kidnapping and do not wish to be alone, this is available to you.

[/Filter]

[Later, another written message, without the picture obscured.]

To anyone who volunteered to help build the ship:

We will begin work on Monday, at eight o'clock in the morning.  We will meet at the fountain and walk from there.  It'll mostly be cutting and transporting lumber at first, I'm afraid, and that includes building a cart to transport the lumber in.

Thank you,

Lt. Kennedy

[Then, written more hastily a little while later:]

If anyone has stories about Dr. McCoy, I should like to hear them.

[Today, Kennedy is stopping at the grocery store and the smithy, hoping someone with experience at the forge will be up to the challenge he has in mind.

Tonight, he is back to work at Cloud Nine, mostly waiting tables and looking fairly miserable. It's his first night of work since Dr. McCoy left, and since he dislikes the job anyway, he's not doing great at it tonight.

Before he goes home, he will stop by house 7. He will be home late.]

Comments

[simplestgift]

...As far as telling him a captain who cared so little for the lives of his men as to lead them into a hurricane for the sake of his pride had no business being captain.

[If Jack's told Archie, surely he's told Buffy.]

[herotypical]

This place isn't the only thing that changes a man, you know.

[simplestgift]

Yes, that's why it was wrong of me. But Buffy...of all the dangers there are at sea, or in the entire world, nothing causes more harm than a man with both pride and power. Nothing.

[herotypical]

...Bring me a leader who's never struggled to balance those things and you'll be bringing me a liar. But -- next time? You might wanna try giving someone the benefit of the doubt. I don't care if it's an admiral or a captain o-or a general. [ hmm. ] More than our titles, remember?

[simplestgift]

It isn't about title, rank, or rating, Buffy. The first words I heard from the man were about the disgraceful state of my uniform. Back home, he'd've had a right, but here? There are quite a few reasons I'm not complaining that the Royal Navy didn't follow me to Luceti. Hood sent us practically to our deaths once, the most ill-conceived attempt to reinstate the French monarchy as I can possibly imagine, simply because it wasn't his neck on the chopping block. Or guillotine, as it might be more appropriate. He's one of the most renowned and respected admirals in the navy.

[herotypical]

[ she has other arguments. she wants to impress upon archie that he probably made some similar conversational missteps on his first few days -- that james was probably clinging to something familiar.

all she can come up with? ] You know? It boggles the mind. You two could be so...useful. To each other.

[simplestgift]

We worked well enough during the draft. I don't know what else you could mean.

[herotypical]

Just...your boats. They're very -- similar.

[simplestgift]

[It takes him a moment to realize she's not talking about literal boats.] ...Beg pardon?

[herotypical]

You and him, Archie. [ and giles -- she adds in her own mind. ] You've both...let's just say that you've kinda booked into the same hotel, here.

[simplestgift]

Buffy, be straight.

[herotypical]

...He's dead. [ and then that sounded too disrespectful, given kennedy's state. so: ] I mean -- he died. He's...I'm not sure how. He never...but he did. And now he's here. And I think he's very, very confused about it and I don't know how to help him because I don't even know how...[ to help giles. ]

1/2

[simplestgift]

[...Oh.

Oh.

...Wow.

So Norrington was trying to make his own life here, was he? And here was Archie, attaching stigmata to him because of things that happened back home.]

2/2

[simplestgift]

...I see.

[herotypical]

[ buffy pulls and tugs and destroys what's left of her sandwich crust. ]

I shouldn't have told you that. I -- oh God. It was his something to tell or not tell and I just...it's this whole thing with Bones. I'm spun. So spun. I'm sorry.

[simplestgift]

[He puts his sandwich down and hooks an arm around her.]

It was his something to tell, but you know we'd never find out about each other on our own. I never tell anyone.

[herotypical]

Jack knows. At least he could've said something and taken the flak. James already has an okay-at-best-horrible-at-worst opinion of him. [ hmm. she leans her cheek against archie's shoulder. comfortably. it reminds her of having xander back, in a way. ]

[simplestgift]

I...must admit I don't know what to do with this, Buffy.

[herotypical]

Maybe...maybe you can't do anything with it. But maybe it'll make a difference. I don't know.

[simplestgift]

I can't tell him. I-I don't know how, and it would raise questions.

[herotypical]

Well? If it does come out? I'll take the full blame. He'll get over it. Like you said, I'm a woman. [ that might have been a bit of a needle, there. ]

[simplestgift]

I meant, I cannot tell him. I don't often talk about...

[Blink, blink.]

...these things.

[herotypical]

You don't have to tell him. You just have to understand.

[simplestgift]

And he does not?

[herotypical]

I could always accidentally divulge the same secret to him but I'd really not rather betray your trust.

[ flatly. ]